BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - Over 700 backpacks were donated to Penquis’s We’ve got your Back Program.

Almost ten years ago, Ava Burke told her parents she didn’t want anything for her birthday and instead wanted to do something for the community and began collecting backpacks.

With her backpack drive now established as an annual tradition, the Brewer teen topped her record this year by gathering 743 backpacks for the program.

On Monday, they were brought over from Showcase Storage in Brewer across the river to the Penquis building in Bangor.

She tells us she appreciates all of the help she received to get so many high-quality backpacks.

“Seeing the kids come in, they’re just so happy and they’re excited to get a new backpack and they go running to the tables and they’re looking for what th

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